World foods

Dear Editor,

A friend of mine, Margaret Shapiro, who was born in Australia and raised in England, recently loaned me a copy of International Travel News for October 2015.

It was full of interesting facts, including a story about the trip of an Anne Taylor of Columbus, Ohio, to Tasmania, an island off the coast of Australia.

While stopped at a grocery store and bake shop, she purchased lunch.

It included spinach and chicken pies. She ate fresh oysters ever day while traveling "downunder" in Australia and New Zealand.

Our appetites and foods that we consume are influenced by what is available, and our tastebuds

Spices such as cinnamon come from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree. This tree grows in Sri Lanka and the East Indies.

During a trip to israel in 1995, I learned what a valued crop the "Olea europaea" or olive tree's fruit is.

It is cultivated for oil and olives. In the Bible in Romans 11: 17-24, Paul uses it to refer to the Gentiles or non-Jews. This is because to be productive, olive trees require grafting. (It is also used for apple trees).

Religiously speaking, it refers to Judeo-christian values.

Guides on the tour of Israel pointed out the fact that John the Baptist ate locusts in the wilderness. They are said to taste like shrimp when cooked (See Matthew 3:4 and Leviticus 11:21-22).

The Hebrews ate bitter herbs at Passover. This included radishes, horseradish, endive and watercress (see Exodus 12:8 and Numbers 9:11).

A story or parable of the Mustard seed is mentioned in Matthew 13:31, March 4:32 and Luke 13:19.

Many Americans would tell you that hamburgers and hot dogs taste better with mustard.

Our taste for foods and spices leads us to countries all over the planet Earth.

Saffron, the world's most expensive spice, is imported from Spain and is native to the Mediterranean region.